The lockdowns over the course of last year have significantly affected automotive sales in Ireland. Sales have declined across the board as a result of the pandemic and the fallout of Brexit, however the industry’s fortunes lifting slightly as lockdown restrictions eased.
As the country comes out of the latest lockdown, there are question marks around where the sector stands and how things are to progress from here.
Car sales fall
In the first few days of 2021, new car sales had dropped by over a quarter (26.5%), having been severely impacted by the announcement of the latest lockdown in early January, along with uncertainty around the new Brexit rules and regulations for imports.
While 9,765 cars were sold in the Republic of Ireland in January 2020, this came in at 3,523 for the same period in 2021. This is a significant drop, as the new year is typically the busiest time of the year for car sales.
This was largely attributed to car showrooms being closed due to Covid-19 restrictions. Add to that, delays with deliveries caused by new procedures triggered by Brexit.
Drop in motorcycle sales
While sales of cars fell year on year in Ireland in January 2021, a similar story was predicted for motorcycle sales. While not quite as severe a drop as for car sales, the forecast was for motorcycles and scooters to see a drop of just over 18% in 2020.
By March 2020, sales in the UK were down on March 2019 by 21%. Again, this correlates with the announcement of lockdown on 23 March and the closure of motorcycle dealerships, which led to forecasters for the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) to estimate a full 58% fall year-on-year for Q2 in 2020.
A positive outlook
However, while the outlook was negative for Q2, the MCIA expected motorcycle sales to bounce back in the final two quarters of the year – and in many ways, they were right to be hopeful.
After March and April 2020 were so challenging for the motorcycle market, there was a definite surge in interest among riders. Over in the UK, sales outstripped those of June 2019, raising by over 14%. This newfound need to hit the road on two wheels saw scooter sales soar by 43% over the year.
While car sales have been slow at the start of 2021, it’s clear that motorcycles and scooters have remained popular in the last year.
For those seeking to hop on a motorbike, now is a good time to invest. Car and motorcycle dealerships have reopened and there are deals to be had. It’s worth taking the time to research the motorcycle you want and arranging insurance, warranties, and other essentials now.
Will you buy a motorbike of your own? Or are you thinking of trading in your old model now that dealers are open again?
